News from numerous sources about the Levant countries: Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan

Belgium to recognize Palestine statehood -report

Belgium’s main political parties are reportedly working on a resolution to recognize Palestine as a state, a Belgian daily reported Wednesday.

Le Soir reported that Belgium’s coalition government reached an agreement earlier this week. The Belgian parliament will reportedly debate a resolution on the subject as early as next week.

However, the draft text for the planned motion to recognize Palestine as a state does not set a date. The recognition will happen when “deemed appropriate,” according to the Belgian daily.

If the motion is adopted then Belgium will become the second EU member country after Sweden to recognize Palestine as a state.

Sweden recognized Palestine statehood on Oct. 20, a move followed by the French parliament’s lower house which passed a non-binding motion last Tuesday encouraging the French government to do the same.